Master Me
by Jazzy Soul
Summary: Laura Delaney is what you'd call submissive. She works in Malfoy Manor, and she's nearly Draco's slave. That is, until the year comes when she goes to Hogwarts and meets a green eyed stranger who turns her world on it's head.
1. Chapter 1

Master Me

_A love story based on the world of Harry Potter_

"Laura! Come along, we're going shopping!"

Startled by the words, I looked up when Draco Malfoy opened the door leading to the small bedroom not far from his own that belonged to me.

"I'm to go as well?" I asked.

My name is Laura Delaney. I'm a maid in the Malfoy Mansion, Draco's personal maid. Because my family owed a serious debt to Lucius, I was assigned to be his maid until that debut was paid or my 21st birthday came to pass. I recall those days now with fondness, and in an attempt to try to garner sympathy for a boy so often misunderstood by people who don't k now the horrors who parented him.

Draco and I were both eleven. Papers had arrived that very day heralding Draco's admittance to the less than prestigious but well taught Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"Of course you're to go. We need robes, wands, books and all that. Mother said that the blasted woman who runs the robe shop won't be able to accurately judge your size without you actually being there. And when we go to Ollivander's—"

"But Draco, I don't understand. What do I need robes for?" I was confused.

He sighed patiently, and smiled. "Laura, you won't be staying here while I'm away at school. You're going to Hogwarts too."

"I-I wasn't enrolled, Draco, and I haven't got any money—"

"Don't worry. Father's paying for everything you'll need. And your letter came with mine. I just didn't say anything. Come, Mother and Father don't like being kept waiting. We need to go."

Stunned, I followed him to the fireplace where his parents stood. Lucius had always been too sly, too self-assured by half and quite horrifying, in all frankness, for me to trust him in anyway. I had seen him beat his son bloody and near unconscious, and then call the boy a sissy, a blood traitor and worse for crying. No, I didn't trust Lucius Malfoy. He was a wolf in sheep's clothing if I ever saw one. Narcissa Malfoy made her contempt for all things Not Malfoy related known with annoying frequency.

"Laura." As usual, the elder Malfoy male's voice was honeyed poison when he spoke to me. "I assume Draco has explained the situation to you?"

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy." My eyes were low and away from his glorious personage. That particular rule (never look at a Malfoy unless they ask you to or it's necessary to be polite) had been pounded in to my head early in my servitude. "And I thank you for the opportunity."

"Well, someone has to clean up for the boy. He's a Malfoy and no one expects him to do it for himself. You understand that all of your duties here still apply at the school?"

"Yes, Mr. Malf—"

"Look up, you little idiot, and stop acting like a servant." Narcissa snapped. I looked up immediately, not wanting to be slapped by the vicious woman. Lucius glared at her, but continued speaking to me.

"What my wife means to say is that even though you're still in our employ, the general rules governing your servitude don't apply at Hogwarts. As a student and a young lady of relatively good blood, you and Draco are more or less equals."

My head was reeling. What was happening to me? Since I was 3, I had lived in Draco Malfoy's shadow, chased after the Blonde Prince and served his every whim. He ruled my world with a firm but gentle hand, and had always treated me with kindness. Being his companion was the only world I knew. I wasn't sure if I would be able to function as anything else.

"Father, you're scaring her. It's all right. I'll still take care of you. Come on, we're taking the Floo network. Hold on to me."

We stepped into the huge, carved, black marble fire place and I wrapped my arms around Draco's waist. His smell, something dark and delicious, wrapped around me, and to my eleven year old mind, it was homey. It fit him to a tee, but I didn't know it then. In that moment, it was just Draco. He took a handful of shimmering green powder from a pot sitting on the mantle and threw it down.

"Diagon Alley!" He shouted as flames roared up to spin us off to his desired location. We stopped in the Leaky Cauldron. I grasped Draco's waist tight enough to crack a rib, shock gripping me. Floo travel was completely new to me. My life had been very sheltered with the Malfoys. Terror had my heart tripping in an uneven rhythm, beating hard enough to burst out of my chest and make a run for it on its own. Draco smiled as he led me out of the fire place, my arms still around him. "Are you all right, Laura?"

"Y-y-yes. I'm f-fine." I stammered. My lungs were working over time to keep me awake and aware.

"Then it might be wise to stop clinging to me like I'm your last salvation, my dear girl. Floo powder is nothing to fear."

I pried my self off of him just as his parents apparated near us. We went in to the back yard of the little hovel and I had my first awe inspiring look at Diagon Alley. It mightn't seem impressive to someone who grew up knowing of a world full of new people and places but to me it was amazing. Draco turned to his parents expectantly.

"Go and get your robes. Make sure Laura gets decent ones too, poor thing. She knows nothing about good material, I'm sure. I'll get your books while your mother is in Ollivander's. She wants her wand re-designed. When you've finished, I want you to go to the pet shop and pick up a pet or two for yourself and for Laura as well. Then go to Ollivander's. Once all your shopping is done, we'll go somewhere for supper. Understood?" Lucius instructed.

"Yes, Father."

"You brought money?"

"Yes, Father. I refilled my money bag from the vault when we left."

"Good, good… I almost forgot. Laura has no money to spend." He tossed a merrily jingling bag of money at me. I tried to give it back when I found it full of galleons.

"It's too much!" I protested. He laughed.

"Laura, this is pocket money. We're off. Be good, children." He and Narcissa left us. Draco led me to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

"Young Master Malfoy! Ready for your school robes, I imagine?" said Madam Malkin herself when we walked in.

"Indeed, Madam, and Laura as well. We'll both be needing black, and I'd like something… extravagant, but tasteful."

"For yourself or the lady?"

"Both."

She went off on a long, rambling tangent, none of which I heard. Draco responded with a few words, and we were whisked off, being fitted for new robes within minutes. We were nearly finished when another boy was ushered in. his hair was black and wildly unkempt, but in a natural way. It didn't look messy on him, it looked normal. His eyes were jewel green, and I blushed when he looked at me, dropped my own green eyes. I saw Draco bristle out of the corner of my eye, and his voice was stiff when he spoke.

"Hello. Hogwarts, too?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Yes. My father's next door buying my books and my mother's up the street looking at wands—"

"Are you?" His eyes focused on mine again. Pink sufficed my cheeks. This boy had a certain charisma to him that drew me, even though I didn't know him. "Going to Hogwarts, that is?"

"Y-yes, I'm going to Hogwarts… I'm Laura." I blurted. He smiled, reveling even white teeth.

"Pleased to meet you, pretty Laura—"

As the boy had spoken to me, Draco had continued to talk, but here he realized no one was listening, and broke in again.

"Have you got your own broom?"

"No."

"Play Quidditch at all?"

"No."

"I do—Father says it's a shame if I'm not picked to play for my house and—" Draco continued on another rant but his words were lost along with the rest of the world outside this stranger's eyes. I was pleased and flustered by the attention he paid me. I realized dimly in some deep recess of my mind that he was still talking to Draco, but I never cared. My mind refused to obey my spirit's commands to steer clear of those hypnotic orbs. I was both thankful and heartbroken when Madam Malkin spoke.

"That's you done, dear." He left the shop, not looking particularly happy to have made our acquaintance and without looking back or saying goodbye.

"I say, what a rude little wretch he is. I ought to demand his name and tell Father." Draco complained.

"Don't do that… I don't think he was raised in the wizarding world, Draco."

"He said his parents were our kind, you heard him say so."

"He also said they're dead." I pointed out. He huffed out a breath, annoyance clear on his handsome face.

"Very well, but I must say I didn't care for him making eyes at you either."

"You're don dears. I'll just pack these two up for you and be back in a tick. You'll both be needing how many?"

"A dozen more. Come along, Laura. Madam Malkin, how much for 13 robes each?" Draco asked.

"Well, it's fifteen galleons for ten robes, and 2 galleons a piece after that up to 12. That makes… 21 galleons for each of you, and 42 is your total." She replied. He paid her that staggering amount and we left her store, headed to the little pet shop. Inside were all kinds of animals, each more fascinating than the one that preceded it.

"Can I help you?" There was a bored-looking young witch behind at the counter.

"I need two eagle owls, a pair of female falcons, and have you got any wolf puppies?" Draco said casually, as if it was common to request animals most people only dream of coming into contact with, let alone making pets of.

"We've got several varieties of wolves, elemental and non-magical."

"Can we see them?"

She directed us to the cages near the front of the store to a cage near the front of the store full of furry little bundles. They began to uncurl, whine and stumble around happily. I was delighted, played with several of them as Draco watched.

"Which one are you going to get, Draco?" I asked eventually. He shrugged, his trademark smirk firmly in place.

"You tell me, Laura. One of those owls and the puppy are for you." I stared at him, astonished once more. "Yes, they're yours. Don't argue. Pick a puppy, Laura, so we can go and get our wands. I want to see the racing brooms before we go home."

I chose a black male and named him Alexander. My own became Serenissima because her sleepily blinking amber eyes gave her a look of such utter contentment.

"They'll be delivered later this evening." The bored witch promised.

We walked to Ollivander's and soon after had wands. Mine was an eleven and a half inch pure ebony wood with a phoenix feather core. It had shot off a dancing, winding dragon shaped of purple sparks which had refused to die. That is, refused until silver flames shot from the 13 inch cherry wood and dragon heart string wand that chose Draco devoured it.

"Quite impressive! You've both got quite a lot of potential. That's 9 galleons for you, Mr. Malfoy and 8 for you, Miss…"

"Delaney. Laura Delaney." I supplied helpfully.

"Ah, yes. Would you be Eric and Christine's little girl?" I nodded. "Yes, yes. I remember them well. Surprisingly, they both had wands from the same willow, heart strings from the same dragon. It was love at first wand." He chuckled. "Your father's wand was 4 inches longer than your mother's. She had a ten, he had a fourteen. Yellow sparks shot form her and blue birds from him. Another extraordinary couple, there's never been a pair like since. I heard they'd come upon a bit of financial trouble, though, a while back."

"Yes, they owe my father. Laura is with me to pay back that debt." Draco explained. His voice implied that everyone gave their only child into 18 years of servitude for the sake of money, for a debt they'd had no part of incurring. Ollivander nodded sagely. Draco paid him as well and we went to Flourish and Botts. Narcissa and Lucius were sitting, sipping wine, in an upstairs parlor.

"Well?" Lucius lifted one lofty silver brow.

"13 robes each, a wand, two eagle owls, two falcons and a puppy. I assumed we wouldn't need cauldrons or supplies because we have those at home."

"You assumed correctly. Is there anywhere we need to stop before we move on to supper?"

"I thought we might go into broom shop. I need a new racer and Laura has to learn on something."

"Why not?" Lucius conceded graciously.

The broom I received was a Nimbus 1080, and Draco added a Comet 260 to his expansive collection of brooms. From there, we returned to the Leaky Cauldron. Our packages were piled within the fire place, and when we were done, there was only room left for one person.

"Go ahead, Laura." Draco said gently. "You'll be fine. If you end up at a gate too far off, just ask whoever you get tossed at to give you some more Floo powder. Keep trying until you get the right one."

"I can't! Please don't make me." I begged as he nudged me firmly into the open space. "Draco--!"

He hurled a handful of the green powder at my feet and yelled, "Malfoy Mansion!" As I spun away, I saw him wave goodbye, but his grin was wicked. I was moving really fast, too fast, screaming, almost falling. As I traveled, snatches of peoples' homes invaded my vision until I spilled from the fire place in Draco's room in a jumbled heap with the purchases. My head was spinning. I was crying in huge gulping gasps. Never in my life had I been so terrified. Well, once before. To a toddler's young eyes, the awe inspiring sight of Lucius Malfoy could be quite a lot like those beings that prowl the night, those dark hungry beings. When I'd been presented to him by my father, I'd been sure that my father had given me to a vampire. I had myself ill, crying, screaming and begging him desperately not to eat me or suck the blood from my small body in one swallow. He had taken vindictive pleasure in frightening me for hours, until Draco and Narcissa had returned from some excursion. I was assigned to be Draco's maid and thus saved from the man of my nightmares.

I was still on the floor, sobbing to wake the dead, when the fire roared up in green flames behind me.

"Laura! Merlin, are you all right?" Draco's voice was a harsh whipcord of concern. I flinched, thinking him angry, until he hurried to my side and lifted me up. "Laura? Answer me!"

"I don't like Floo powder, I hate it, oh, Draco!" I clung to him. He had been my rock and my shelter for most of my life. I was safe as long as he was with me.

"Shhhh. Don't worry, Laura. We can try a portkey or something next time. I won't make you use Floo if it frightens you so much."

"I'm sorry for being such a baby."

"No, don't apologize. You're not being a baby. My parents sent me back to make sure you and the packages made it, and then I'm supposed to go to them so we can have dinner… You'll be okay , Laura. Separate everything and put it in your bedroom or mine, depending on who it belongs to. My parents and I will be in later."

I obeyed him, my lord and master, just as I always had, as I had been raised to do, and then, as I thought I always would.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Finally, the day arrived when Draco and I would go to Hogwarts. Alexander, the puppy, curled up by my side in the sleek Italian made car that would convey us to King's crossing.

I was excited. It was a rare day that I traveled away from the Mansion and, sitting beside Draco in the back seat of the car, I pointed out every little detail of the trip to the train station. He didn't seem to mind, laughing and joking with me. He indulged my childlike eagerness to see every inch of the train once we eventually reached it. That is, he indulged me until _they_ arrived.

Vincent Crabbe and Greggory Goyle had been Draco's goons for as long as I could remember. I don't think either of them could be considered the brightest crayon in the box. And around them, Draco became a person that I didn't like. We were walking down the corridor together, when the Dynamic Duo showed up, preceded by Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini.

"Silence, Laura." His voice was cold and curt when he spoke to me. I looked at Draco, startled. He stepped in front of me with a look of warning. I had been relegated once again to servitude. Pansy stepped into his open arms for a hug and noticed me over his shoulder.

"Oh, Draco, why is your little slave thing here?" She asked. "I don't like her, she's so odd."

"Pansy, Laura is not a 'slave thing.' Her father owes mine some gold and she's with us to pay the debt off. I've explained it time and again." Draco sighed.

"Her ears are pointy. No one's hair is that long by our age. Her eyes are slanting, and I don't believe for one minute that she's actually a witch."

I lowered my green eyes to the carpeted floor way. It was all true. My ears were pointy and my black hair hung past my waist. My eyes did tip up at the corners and I wasn't completely human. I hadn't realized how obvious my differences were, never having been seen by enough people for their censure.

"Enough, Pansy… She looks the way she does because she's got elf blood. Her mother was a halfling, but Dumbledore let her in. That old fool will let anyone with a drop of witch or wizard blood into Hogwarts, even my father says so."

"I think you're little elf is cute, Draco. Besides, every one knows that Forest nymphs make the best… companions." Blaise smiled. I snarled at him, would have bit him, when he touched my cheek, outraged, and he blew me a mocking kiss, ran his very pink tongue across his lips. Draco laughed.

"It seems that particular nymph doesn't want to play, Blaise."

"I'm not a nymph! They're elementals _and_ have a tendency to be whores. I'm not elemental or a whore. And I'll ask you kindly not to talk about me as if I'm not here—_ouch!_" The back of Draco's hand silenced my furious triad. The slightly metallic, coppery taste of blood slid across my tongue. The blow had been a harsh one, splitting my lip at the corner. Tears obscured my vision.

"You were told to be quiet. Go find a cabin. I'll see you at the Sorting." He ordered me quietly. "And you'd never not be with that wild haired boy from the robe shop if I come looking for you. Now get out of my sight." His friends began to laugh as I stood there, tears in my eyes, shaking with suppressed rage and misery.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, Draco Malfoy!" I rushed away as they piled into a cabin, howling with laughter and chattering as if nothing had just happened. I had known I wasn't going to be a favored person by all but out and out contempt was new to me. Draco had never been so cold, so careless. I stumbled along the corridor blindly.

"Oye! Incoming! Are you all right? You're bleeding." A tall, older boy caught me gently as I barreled past him.

"I'm fine. Let me go!"

"What the bleeding hell is going on out here, Fred? You'll have the whole train looking on in a minute. Who's that girl?" I looked up, and stared. The boys, one holding onto me and the other standing in an open compartment door, were completely identical. Long red hair on both of them, and eyes brows canted down in the same look of concern.

"Somebody's been beating up on her, George… Come on, we'll look after that cut and talk for a while."

They pulled me into the compartment with them, and George sat looking at me while Fred magically wet a cloth he produced and dabbed at my wound.

"Who's been pushing you around, sweetheart?" George asked gently.

"I-it's not important." I replied, still shaking a bit.

They looked at each other, sighed. "What is it with first years and abusive, seriously bad relationships?" Fred brushed my hair back from my cheeks. "What's your name—Bloody hell!"

"What?" I gasped, jerking back. George echoed me.

"You're not human… Those ears… Are you an elf, sweetheart?" It was the second time they had used that endearment for me. I nodded. Neither of them looked disgusted at finding out about my parentage. In fact, they both looked rather pleased.

"Yes… my name is Laura. I work in the Malfoy Mansion…" The abrupt chill that swept across their identical features stopped my words.

"No need to wonder how you came to that smack than, poor thing. Well, at least you'll be a bit safer from those monsters at Hogwarts." Fred's voice was grim as he sat beside his brother.

"They're not monsters! At least, Draco isn't. He's very kind to me."

"But he slaps you hard enough to draw blood? That's awfully nice of him. If he gives you a black eye next time, we'll be sure to call the Nobel Peace Prize committee. We should beat the little beast…" Not understanding the random reference to some prize committee, I ignored it. At my beseeching look, they both sighed.

"All right. He's safe from us for now. Knowing his type, he'll be in Slytherine. But you… I doubt it. You'll end up in a different house than him, so no one will be able to hurt you." Fred promised.

"He'd better not. Her house mates'll have a fit." George predicted darkly. With that mysterious comment, they turned their attention to entertaining me. The twins were sweet boys, both of them, and when the train drew to a halt, I hugged them.

"We'll be watching for you around school. If you ever need us, talk to our brother Ron-"

"Red hair, freckles, blank look-" They snickered.

"Anyway, just talk to him if you need us and don't see us around. We'll pop up."

"Thank you. Bye Fred, George!" I said as they walked away. I turned as a deep, booming voice called out.

"Firs' years!"

We traveled to what would be out new home in small boats. I can't say I viewed it with great awe, for Malfoy Manor, the proper name of the entire estate, was quite a bit vaster.

The first years waited in the entrance hall after the pinch-faced woman gave us a speech. Several people were staring and gossiping openly about me, until Draco came. He took my hand and led me as regally as any queen to the top of the stairs, Crabbe and Goyle lumbering in our wake. The dark haired boy from the robe shop saw me and smiled. His warm green eyes grew cold as they feel on Draco.

"So it's true, what they're saying on the train? Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts."

"It must be. You're looking at him." His gaze flickered back to the silent human pillars behind us.

"Oh this is Crabbe, and that's Goyle." The dismissal in Draco's voice was all too obvious. However, the Dynamic Duo made no objection, merely cracked their massive knuckles and glowered. "This magnificent creature," he lifted my hand to his lips in a brief kiss, "is Laura. And I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."

The red haired boy beside Harry tried and failed to cover a snicker with a cough. Draco's grey eyes darkened like storm clouds and fastened coldly on him.

"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask yours. Red hair and a hand me down robe? You must be a Weasley."

"You're Fred and George's brother?" I asked, smiling. "I met them on the train, they're absolutely darling." The scowl that had been gathering on his face dissipated.

"Darling? The twins? You're one in a million to think that. I'm Ron. Pleased to meet you."

"Charmed—"

"Laura, you're to stay away from them." Draco cut in. " And if you're smart, you'll stay away from them too. You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there." He held his hand out, waiting.

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." His gaze swept over Draco, moved back to Crabbe and Goyle and then rested solely on me. The hand he held out was in my direction. I placed mine inside, and he kissed it. Draco snatched my hand from his and was about to snarl something I knew would be rude when the woman returned. As the other first years poured out of the hall behind her, Draco held me at his side, his grip hard on my wrist.

"Stay away from him aw well, Laura." He growled.

"Draco! You're hurting me! What's gotten in to you?" I replied.

At once, chagrin crossed his handsome visage. "I'm sorry… I'm being a jerk, I know. But my father always told me that the Malfoy name is synonymous with power and that I'm to show it whenever under the public eye. I don't mean to be so harsh with you, Laura… Come on, we have to hurry or we'll be late."

Draco and I rushed into the hall with the last of our year, and the Sorting began. I tuned out mostly as she read the list form Z to A. Ron and Harry went to Gryffindor. Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy and Blaise all went into Slytherine. Terror was paramount in my heart when my name was called. The hat dropped low over my eyes.

"Well, well. This is new. I remember your parents. I knew as sure as my stitching that they'd end up together. Put them both in Ravenclaw. But you, no, not Ravenclaw. Lord love them, bunch of bookworms. You're far too sweet to toss to those snakes in Slytherine. And the Hufflepuffs… bah. Let's put you in… GRYFFINDOR!" It shouted. My body physically sagged with relief, though my anxiety had no real cause. I walked toward the wildly cheering table. Draco was furious; it was etched in every line of his face. I sat beside Fred, who gave me a one armed hug.

"We told you!" he said.

"Told her what?" Ron asked, and then smirked. "By the way, according to her, you lot are 'darling.'"

"Shut up, you great git. We told her she'd never end up with that pack of jackals in the dungeons. Malfoy smacked her." George confided.

"Bloody bastard that he is." Fred added.

"He looks like trouble. What've you got to do with him?" Harry asked.

"My father owes his a large sum of money. I'm to work for the Malfoys until my 21st birthday, or until the debt is paid of somehow.

"How long—"

"Since I was 3. Lucius Malfoy made sure I knew well who was master in his house my first day there. He scared me senseless. I thought he was a vampire. He terrorized me until Draco and Narcissa came home." There was a stunned silence.

"That's horrible!" The outraged voice came from the bushy haired girl who sat beside Ron. I smiled at her in thanks, and she smiled back. "I'm Hermione Granger."

" Laura Delaney." I replied. "Pleased to meet you."

The rest of my first year at Hogwarts was lovely. I had more fun in those months than I had in my entire life. By it's end, I was delighted to have made so many lovely new friends. But it was Harry that I found myself attracted to, even though I feared him. Harry was like no wizard I had ever known. He was an odd mix of fire and ice that drew me. After my revelations about my time in the Malfoy manor, he had give Draco a look of contempt. I hoped he never turned those eyes on me with such fury, such barely reined violence. My own white knight, the poor hero who dies in the first chapter. I didn't want him anywhere near the evil that was Lucius Malfoy and his succubus wife.

"Do you like working for him, Laura?" He asked me quietly as the first years traveled under Percy Weasley's watchful eye to the Gryffindor Tower for one last night before Summer Vacation.

"It's all I've ever known, Harry, since I was three years old. Draco Malfoy's shadow has been my permanent home. It's who and what I am. I don't know how to be anything else." I replied helplessly.

"If I told you… that I could make your father's debt go away, would you want that? Would you like to be free of Malfoy?"

We were alone in the common room; everyone else had gone to bed already. I looked at Harry. Righteousness burned in him. He wanted to save me, wanted to be my champion.

"Harry, I'm a servant. It's what I am. Even if Draco didn't have any legal right to boss me around, somebody would, because I follow orders. It's how I'm wired, how I was raised. I'm a door mat. People will always walk all over me. Draco's just the person who happens to have my reins. If it weren't him, I'd only end up getting into trouble until someone else had them." Even at my tender age, I knew I'd always be someone else's to command. It was just a matter of whom.

"Why not me?" Harry said suddenly. I stared at him.

"I beg your pardon?" the words were gasped. "Why not you, what?"

"If you've got to have a master, why not me? At least I'd treat you well. You'd never have to be scared or upset and I'd be right here with you all the time. You'd be safe in my care, Laura, safer than ever before."

"What do you mean?"

"You could go home if you wanted to. Or stay at the Weasley's over the summer. Ron would take care of you for me. If you want, I'll be your master until you're 21."

"But… why, Harry? This is so abrupt, so… _new_."

"Laura, the night we met the second time… you were so small and fragile looking. You were getting a bruise along your cheek from where Malfoy had slapped you. That made my blood boil. I've been trying to restrain myself, stood back all year when you had to go and serve the bastard, but I've had enough. Each time you've come back with some new wound. You're not clumsy, you're graceful as hell. Everybody know thatso there's no accounting for the black eye your sporting right now." He brushed back my long hair, revealing the painful discoloring over my right eye. "I've had enough of it and so have the others. I sent a contract to Lucius Malfoy for a settlement. A certain amount of gold for your freedom. He agreed, signed off on it. I'm sending the gold in the morning. So you're free now, Laura."

"No! How could you? I have nowhere else to go! I hardly know my parents. I wouldn't know them from Merlin and Eve! I-I… you can't do it. I need Draco!" I was frantic.

"No, Laura. You don't. I'm going to take care of you. You're going home with Ron tomorrow, you and your pets. I'll write to you, but I'm sure Ron and the twins will keep you busy, bossing you around. You'll be fine.

"But why are you doing this?" I whispered. His eyes burned.

"Because you deserve better than Draco, Lucius, and Narcissa Malfoy."

Things were as he said for the following three years. He was my master now. My home of old was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Ron, where's Laura?"

At the sound of his voice, I launched myself down the stairs of the Burrow. It was the summer before our fourth year and I had missed him terribly.

"Harry! Harry!" I cried. He was standing in the kitchen with the twins and their parents.

"There she is. How are you, Laura?" He hugged me as tightly as I hugged him. After being separated so abruptly from my anchor, I had latched on to Harry for all I was worth. He was gentle and sweet, cared for me very well, even though I had to spend a portion of the summer alone with the Weasley Clan. They were a loud and loving bunch, and had welcomed me eagerly into their home. Molly's constant desire to "fatten me up some" was annoying at times but I knew she meant well. They were wonderful to me, truly, but it was Harry whom I adored above all others.

"I'm fine. Oh, Harry, we're going to the World Cup! We'll have so much fun! Do you suppose anyone we know will be there?" I asked excitedly. He smiled, stroked my hair, and simply changed the subject.

"What've you done here, Laura? You seem to be missing three and a half feet or so."

"I got it cut." Self-conscious, I touched my shorn locks. "The woman said short hair suited my sprit more. She's a psychic." I explained. "And Hermione said that the highlights were more adventurous." My hair was cut boy short and curled/spiked outward, blood red and blue dye tipping the ends all across the back. "Are you angry with me for cutting it?"

"No. You're beautiful." He kissed my nose and joy blossomed in me. "I missed you."

"What are we, chopped dragon liver?" Fred said.

"Hey!" Charlie protested. The twins snickered. "Hi, Harry. I'm Charlie."

"Hello, Charlie. Then you must be Bill."

"Yeah." Bill Weasley was an interesting man. He reminded me of the fascinating men I had seen in rock bands. He was also very friendly. "Nice to meet you."

"You as well."

"The introductions are all very nice, but Fred, George, you're still in trouble!" Molly said.

"Er… We'll take Harry's trunk upstairs, now." Hermione said hastily. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I headed up to Ron's room to avoid the coming storm. Surprise crossed Harry's face as Hermione and Ron snuggled together on his bed. I smiled. At the end of 3rd year, Harry, Hermione and I had had a lot of secrets. I'd have bet my wand that Hermione and Ron had some secrets of their own. I stretched out across Harry's bed, my head in his lap. He ran his fingers absently through my short hair.

"How's Sirius?" Hermione queried eventually. "And did you get our packages?"

"He's fine. And thanks for those. That food saved my life, it did."

We had a mundane, polite conversation for a while before Hermione and Ron broke off talking to neck, leaving Harry and I to entertain ourselves.

"Laura?" He said finally, after a long companionable silence. I craned my neck to look up at him. "Sirius is free now. Pettigrew was convicted of my parents' murder, so soon, I'll be living with him. Would you like to come home with me after this year, or do you want to stay with the Weasleys?"

"I want to stay with you." I replied, relaxing back as I was before he'd spoken.

"What? Are you leaving us?" Ron finally heard something to interest him more than Hermione's lips and he looked up, alarmed. "Why're you going away?"

"I'm moving in with Sirius. It's time Laura came to stay with me." Harry said firmly.

"B-but she puts this stuff in our laundry that makes it soft and smell really good. And she makes my bed every morning, has it waiting with the covers turned down and—"

"She babys you. What else is new?" Hermione snorted.

"Well, also, I like her. As a friend." He added hastily, when Hermione glowered. "Fred and George, though… they'll have something to say. I think they're in love with her."

I sat up. "What?"

"Laura, all you have to do is look at how they are around you. They tease and behave like idiots around other girls. They listen to you and actually like your company. Watch, give them five minutes and they'll be calling for you—"

"Laura!" Bill, Fred and George's voices rang up the stairs as one call.

They all laughed. It was true, the twins did call on me regularly and I didn't mind most of the time. But now, Harry was here and I didn't want to leave him. He smiled at me.

"Go on. I'll still be here when you come back."

"I went to the kitchen where Bill and the twins were snickering together. Mrs. Weasley went storming past me up the stairs, Mr. Weasley, pleading quietly behind her.

"Did you need me?" I said.

"Yes. They missed you. Laura, do you find Fred and George attractive?" Bill asked. I started at him, unsure what to say. "I mean, if you were asked, would you date one, or maybe both, of them?"

"Both?" Fred and George said in unison. "What do you mean both?"

"_Would you_, Laura?"

"I don't know… Ask Harry."

"Why would we want to date Harry?" Fred demanded, looking annoyed.

"That's not what she meant, you dummy… You wont' say yes or no until Harry says you can, huh, Laura?" Bill said kindly. I nodded. "But just out of curiosity, do you think they're cute? Even a little bit?" I looked at them then, really looked at them. Long red hair, pretty eyes, well arranged features. I blushed and wide grins split their identical faces.

"I suppose they're nice enough looking." I grinned, and their smiles grew. "All that red hair, those freckles, strangely sweet blank looks…" Bill and I laughed. After a moment, it dawned on Fred and George where those words were familiar from.

"Hey!" They were toting some seriously offended male pride when they charged me a moment later. I laughed even harder as I evaded them, dashing up the stairs. "That was uncalled for!"

"I meant in the best way possible." I promised as I threw open Ron's bedroom door and threw myself in. Scrambling to get my legs under me, I didn't quite manage it before they tackled me. I shrieked, kicking out when Fred caught my hands and pressed them to the ground. "What're you doing?" I demanded as George sat on my legs to still them.

"Nobody calls us stupid and gets away with it. We're the Magnificent Gred and Feorge." Fred informed me.

"I didn't! I was joking!" I protested.

"Well then, we won't have to kill you after all." George smiled at me. He and Fred shared a devilish glance, then began to tickle me mercilessly. I screamed and twisted, trying to escape, but to no avail. They were stronger than me. They tickled me until I was sobbing with laughter.

"Help! Help me please!" I finally beseeched the others. Laughing, Ron and Hermione waded into the fray. Harry stayed on his bed, frowning. When I was loose, I sat up and smiled at him.

"Come and play, Harry." I said. "Please?"

He sighed. "No, Laura… Actually, I think I'm going to get some sleep. If you lot don't mind…" He looked pointedly at the door. Ron and Hermione left quickly, casting Harry a bewildered glance; the twins remained in the door like two silent pillars stating 'No funny stuff.'

"Do you want me to stay with you?" I asked, standing at the foot of the bed. His eyes flickered back to the remaining Weasleys. "I could massage your shoulders or—"

"That's okay, Laura. I'm sure Fred and George would be upset if you stayed. I'll see you later tonight, all right?" sarcasm dripped from his words like honey.

"But I—"

"Come on, Laura, we'll show you the stuff we've been developing over the summer." George offered. I went with the twins reluctantly. Harry looked very angry, but he had told me to go. I could do no other than obey. We went to their room, which was decorated in the way that boys are wont to do; with no color and lots of posters. There was no real question because I cleaned it once a week. The only thing I never touched was their work room. Fred opened the door to that area, ushering me inside.

"We've got a whole package deal of joke stuff that actually works that we developed ourselves. You can have one. We'll show you what's what first, so that you don't hurt yourself or somebody else accidentally." He said as George lifted a tasteful black wooden case to the only bare table and opened it. The parcel was really quite nice. Everything inside it had its own little space, and it was full of some or another.

"What are these?" I asked, picking up a package of brightly colored candies. "Are they good?"

"For a laugh, yeah. You don't' want to east one, trust me. They're called Ton Tongue Toffees. We tested them on Harry's evil git cousin. His tongue was four feet long before Dad shrunk it."

"I wish he hadn't." I snapped.

"Hadn't what?"

"Shrunk his tongue, the horrible fat lump. I wish he had choked on it."

"Vicious. I like that in a girl." Fred was standing far too close to me and his voice had gone husky. I smoothed my hair, a nervous gesture I hadn't managed to break despite my new hair cut. He laughed as he caught my hands in his. "George, is the door locked?" He asked, hugging me. George nodded, smiling as well.

"What? Why does the door need to be locked?" I protested.

"Because I want to kiss you. I don't want you to be scared or run away from me." He explained. "May I kiss you, Laura?"

"Fred… I-I don't know if—"

"I think that's a yes, Fred. By default. She didn't say no—"

"I said, I don't—Mmmm." His lips closed over mine gently. I started into his eyes for a moment before he deepened the kiss and my eyes sank closed. It was a beautiful kiss, truly. No boy had ever kissed me in a passionate manner. His tongue stroked mine gently before he drew back a little, his lazy smile pressed against my own.

"You always were bad a sharing." George muttered.

"I never even pretended to share with anyone but you, and you know it. So? Are you expecting me to share now?"

"Be nice. I'm feeling a little bit left out."

"So get your arse over here, brother mine."

"Wait, what're you two—Mmph!" I'd listened dazedly to the conversation, but near the end, my wits began returning. By the time I realized just what they were discussing, it was too late. Fred put his hands to my cheeks, tipped my head up, and kissed me again. My hands found his shoulders on their own steam. I was enjoying this new, more carnal kiss when I became aware of more. George was placing tiny open mouth kisses along my nape and shoulders, pressing against me. Cuddled between them, there was incredible warmth. That could have been attributed to the friction of them both rubbing hard, hot and alarmingly large portions of their anatomy against me on both sides. A moan escaped one of us, I'm not sure who.

"Laura, sweetheart, don't be scared of this. George and I… we've never tried sharing a girl before, but muggle movies make it look easy enough. We shared the same womb and even the same egg. If you'll let us, we're sure we can share you too. What do you say?" Fred coaxed. "Come to bed with us?"

"I want to wait until I'm married." I protested as George reached around me, began to unfasten the coarse blue muggle pants Hermione had said looked flattering on me. His fingers were on the zipper, far too close to a very personal area and I flinched. He stopped, caressed my hips and moved back, giving me room.

"That's very noble of you, but what if you die before you get married? You'd seriously regret passing up sex with two extremely hot, identical twin boys." He said.

"Fred, George, I think that maybe this is a bad idea." I said, trying to move away from them. They refused to release me, pressing close again in order to keep me trapped between their bodies.

"You know what, George?"

"What?"

"I think the best way to get this to go the way we want it to go is to just take the choice away from her. If we _order_ her to, then she will. Won't you, Laura?" When I didn't respond to Fred's question, He forced my chin up so that I had to meet his eyes. "Answer me."

My voice, when it came, was a mere brush of sound. "Yes."

His grin was triumphant. "Good. Kiss me back, Laura. We'll see where that takes us." He kissed me again and I obeyed him, parting my lips and kissing back. George's hands moved up to caress my breasts. I jumped liked a scalded house elf and he murmured something soothing against the flesh at my nape. This was all new territory to me, uncharted and therefore frightening. What I knew of love making could fit in a gnome thimble, but that didn't deter the twin seducers. Fred's hands cupped my bottom, pulled me tight against him. Terror surged at the feel of that gigantic beast nudging me. He kissed my face tenderly when I whimpered.

"Shhhh. Don't be afraid. We won't hurt you. I promise. It's okay." He crooned as George crowded closer. They were both prodding me and I started to protest.

"Please, you can't. You'll kill me. I'll split right up the middle---"

"We're not putting them both in you at once, at least, not in the same place. One at a time isn't going to kill you, Laura."

"Fred, please!" I begged, frantic. He sighed.

"Here's what we'll do. George is going to go find somebody in the house who happens to have some extra condoms, and he's going to go as slowly as humanly possible about it. Meanwhile, I'm going to show you that putting out is relatively easy if you just relax. Okay?"

"I don't—"

"It wasn't a request." His voice brooked no opposition. "George, go." Flinging a mutinous glare over his shoulder at his twin, George left me alone with Fred.

No words passed his lips as he led me to his bed. He sat on the edge, pulled me to stand between his thighs, which he used to trap me. He peeled off my stretchy top and dropped it to the floor.

"Remind me to hug Hermione next time I see her." He ordered.

"Why?" I asked, startled.

"This." He traced my skin along the edge of my bra. "She took you shopping for lingerie. _I love lingerie_. Especially this black lace and silk deal you're wearing. In the muggle world, girls wear black scanties to show they want sex, even if they deny it to the world. Hermione knows that… Do your panties match this? No, wait, don't answer, and let me see for myself."

He pulled me down onto his lap and unbuttoned the pants, pulled the zipper down slowly. I stared at him, dazzled. His long red hair gleamed in the sunlight from the window behind him, lighting up around his face like a fiery halo. Those pants were shimmied down off my hips and whisked away. Fred smiled.

"What?" I asked breathlessly. There was animal hunger in his eyes.

"They _do_ match. Little lace sex kitten shorts and a matching bra. I almost want to wait for George so he can see you too. Remind me to worship Hermione…"

"I chose them myself." I admitted sheepishly.

His green gaze was devilish as he stroked his hand up my thigh. "Well then. I suppose I'll just have to worship you instead."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"I don't think we have much time, So we'll just cover a few basics… what do you know about love making, Laura?" Fred asked gently, moving so we were lying down and I was cradled against him.

"Less than you, apparently." He laughed at my timid answer.

"So it would seem… come here, Laura. I want you to sit on top of me." I stared at him, bewildered.

"Why?"

"Just do it." We shuffled around so he could lie beneath me. I sat on his stomach and he laughed at me again. "Scooch back just a little. You're being shy, Laura, and you needn't be. You can do whatever you want, and I won't care at all. I promise you. Right now, I'm your body slave."

"I… I'm almost naked and you're still fully clothed. Take something off." I ordered tentatively. He obeyed, shifting around under me to get completely nude. The steel rod incased in his crotch was pressed to a part of me that had gone warm at his touch. My panties were truly the only thing saving me from being completely plundered.

"F-fred, we don't have any condoms--" He opened the bedside table drawer with one hand and popped the clasp of my bra with the other. My arm went up in an automatic, defensive reaction and he laughed once again.

"Laura." The reproach in his voice was clear. I dropped my arm and my bra fell away. I had all the insecurities of those awkward years of growth. I didn't want him to look at me and heat climbed my cheeks when he did. "You're beautiful." He said.

"I'm skinny and dark… and bald." I countered.

"You are not. There are differences between slim and skinny, dark and tan, short haired and bald. You're slim, tan and have short hair. You're gorgeous, and you know it. Come on, kiss me."

"I leaned down, placed my lips over his. The kiss started out gentle, as he gave me a chance to explore, but soon, he thrust his tongue into my mouth and sheer heat crawled over us both like an army of fire beetles.

Occupied as I was with kissing Fred, I didn't notice his busy hands coasting over me until his fingers found my nipples and circled gently. A whimper escaped me, the barest breath of sound, but he heard it anyway.

"Sensitive, huh?" he murmured, pulling me closer to press kisses to my throat. "Feels good?"

"Mmmm-hmm."

"Lean up a bit and I'll make it feel better." I complied immediately, and he pulled me down so his face was level with my torso. He laved my nipple with is tongue and I moaned aloud. But his wicked tongue wasn't done. In a moment, he was sucking and nipping at my breast. I didn't know what to do. I was beside myself.

"Fred, please!" I finally pleaded. He smiled at me.

"I know, sweetheart. Lie down for me." We reversed positions. "Now, I'm going treasure hunting. If I remember correctly, there've been stories of a rare pearl just south of my current location…" His wondrous mouth took a slow tour across my belly, his talented tongue dipping into my navel and trailing a wet path down to the top of my panties.

"Hm. A fence. Should I go under it to find what I want?" he slipped two fingers between my legs, under the panties and up inside me. He pumped them and I wreathed like mad, half drunk on the sensations. "Or should I go over it?" Through the underwear, he parted my labia and slid his tongue through my cleft in one silken moist glide. The combined rasps of his tongue and the cloth nearly sent me careening over a cliff into some wild unknown. I moaned again. Loudly. "Shhh! My mother'll come charging up here if you scream… so what'll it be, Laura? Over?" he licked again. "Or under?" he wiggled his fingers, which were still inside me.

"Please! I don't care. Something's happening to me, it gets worse every time you touch me. Make it stop!" I pleaded, confused and upset. He laughed, nuzzled my thigh.

"No, sweetheart, that's supposed to happen. My dad has this really clever muggle toy called a Jack-in-the-box and it—"

"Why are you bringing up your father when I'm suffering here?"

"It's important.. With the toy, you wind it and wind it until the spring inside it is wound to tight to move any father. Then It bursts out and eventually goes slack. I want you to do that for me, Laura. I want you to burst that ball of pleasure your feeling and then go nice and soft for me. How about it?" he said.

"Anything!" I swore rashly as his fingers moved again. "Anything you want!"

"Good. That's just want I wanted to hear." He went to work on me. His fingers were gentle as he stroked me, in, out, in , out, a hard steady rhythm, delicious. His tongue and lips did unspeakable things to me. The feel of that fabulous appendage stroking the sensitive flower bud hidden within my most secret depth finally made me explode like New Year's fireworks. My back arched and I mewled as the sweetest pleasure poured over me in molten waves, showered me like spring rain. He shifted so he was lying on top of me, kissed me. I could taste myself on his lips.

"See? Nothing to it. And I didn't hurt you at all. You're still tingling, aren't you? If I touch you, you'll do it all over again." He whispered in my ear.

"F-fred…" my throat was shaking, I realized. I was overwhelmed. "That was…"

"Astonishing?" he finished. I nodded. "And you want more. Right now." The second nod was tinier. His grin was triumphant. "Beg me."

"Fred!"

"Beg me, Laura. Or put your clothes on and go." For a moment, anger surged hot. I didn't' beg on command. Even submissive people have some pride. I had never considered that Fred had the sort of ego that had to be pumped by pleading from someone weaker than him, by someone that he could control. Denial was on my lips, but my body beat down my minds protest. After a moment, lust own out and I whispered it in his ear like a guilty secret.

"Please."

The smile he gave me was feral, promising dark delights. "Very pretty. And now you can have more." He put on one of his condoms. There had only been three in the drawer, and I wondered briefly why the twins had them at all, knowing that neither of them had a girl friend. Distraction from my thoughts came a moment later when he said "This may hurt just a little, sweetheart. You're very tiny and I'm not… But I'll try to make this easy on you." He promised.

"What do you mean—Oh!" My words were cut off when he reached down a gain, touching me, and forced me to come again as a soft cry of surprise fell from my lips. He slid inside me quickly, his hand muffling the shrill scream that tore free when the pain of my lost innocence blindsided me, pushing the pleasure out.

"Shhh, shhh. It's done now. I've got you. Everything is okay." He soothed. I cried as I struggled to escape him. I didn't know why he had hurt me so terribly and frankly, I didn't care. I wanted him off of me. "Laura, sweetheart, look at me. Why are you—ouch, damn it!—fighting me?"

"You hurt me!" I sobbed.

"It hurts every girl the first time, Laura. After this, it'll never hurt again. I promise. Lie still."

"I don't want this any more, Fred. Please, let me go."

"Just give me a minute. Stop fighting me for one minute and let me try to help. If you still don't want this then, I'll let you up." He offered.

"Do you swear?" I asked, my eyes wet, but no longer crying.

"On my life!"

I relaxed beneath him and he sighed, relieved. I watched, confused, as he moved so I was slightly folded, my legs bent over his arms at the knees. "Fred, what are you…Oh, God." I sucked in a breath when he pushed deeply. A spiral of pure pleasure shot from the tips of my breast to my belly when he did it again and again. Just as I was riding that crest again, about to peak, he stopped. "No! What're you doing?" I demanded, slapping my hands against his bare chest.

"I promised you a minute… Do you want more, Laura?" there was mischief under the heat in his eyes.

"You bastard! You rotten, dirty tease! Yes!" I snapped.

"Tsk, tsk. Not very friendly, are we?" he chided. "Well then, I'll just have to—" He started to pull away from me and I snarled at him. Actually snarled. When I covered my mouth in shock at my actions, he laughed. "Okay, calm down. I'm just as anxious as you, sweetheart. I just needed to make sure you still wanted this."

"I do. Please!"

It took only a few strokes more before the flames in my body exploded like a gas tank, and Fred found his own pleasure, thrusting almost roughly into me. He went limp on top of me and we lay there for several moments.

"Sweet Laura… You're so beautiful." He kissed my face and neck gently. Emotions were swamping me. I didn't know what to say or to do.

"I… I think I'm going to cry." I admitted on a sob. He smiled at me again, but this time, there was no heat in his eyes. There was only tenderness.

"It's okay, go ahead and cry. " He urged. I took Fred at his word and wept quietly against his shoulder, once we'd moved one last time so we were cuddled together side by side. I was nearly asleep in his arms when the door opened.

"Fred, George said that Laura was—Merlin!" I sat up at the sound of Ginny Weasley's voice. She hated me. I knew she did. It was because she wanted Harry for herself. Harry knew it too, but refused to act one way of the other, by telling her to get over it or coming onto her himself. Malicious joy lit her freckled face. "I'm telling Harry!" She rushed away, slamming the door. I jumped up and grabbed my clothes as I heard Percy bellow at her.

"Stop thundering up and down those stairs, Ginevra Anne Weasley!" I dressed hurriedly. Fred lay across the bed, looking at me.

"Why are you so worried about Harry finding out? He's not your father, Laura, he doesn't have complete control over you."

"He'll be angry with me. He'll… He'll send me away!" terror seized me. "He'll make me go back to Narcissa and Lucius. I can't go back!"

"Laura!" As I started to rush from the room, he called my name. I paused.

"Yes?" _Don't tell me to stay, don't tell me to stay!_ I pleaded mentally.

"You're not even going to kiss me goodbye?" He sounded hurt. I went, sat beside him. He hugged me close, planted one on me. I got the distinct impression that he was hoping to get my clothes back off. Every time I tried to slip away, he tightened his hold, keeping me in the kiss.

"Fredrick Weasley!" The shout came from downstairs and his eyes widened.

"Mom!" He breathed. "Quick, go in the lab. I'll be right there." I obeyed instantly, ran to that room. I could hear Molly charging up the stairs toward us. Fred dressed, made his bed look slightly neater, and was standing beside me when the door slammed against the wall.

"Fred! What do you think you're—doing?" Molly stood looking surprised in the open space.

"I was showing Laura what' sin her joke kit so she doesn't mistakenly hurt herself or somebody else." He replied to her shouted question, then turned to me. "These are Fake Wands. They can change to look like a duplicate of any wand, and they actually do magic, until they die. Then they turn into a rat or a rubber chicken or something… Did you need something, Mom?"

"Ginny came rushing downstairs, she said you… well, never mind dears. I'll need to talk to that girl about lying…" she smiled at us. "So sorry, dears. Dinner in twenty, all right?"

"Yes, Mom." Fred smiled back at her. She closed the door and we heard her go. He sighed deeply. "Close call." I nodded. I didn't know what to say. Was there a correct protocol for a narrow escape from being caught naked with your summer hostess's son? "Laura, you look sad. What's wrong?"

"Nothing… I gotta go find Harry." I left quickly, before I did something stupid. Like cry. Again.

By the tie I reached Ron and Harry's room, I knew Ginny had been there and gone. The door was open and I could feel menace pulsing from that room. It was something I had been working on with Professor Lupin in our third year, developing the powers my mothers elfin blood gave me and my sixth sense as well. Harry was liberally pissed and he was waiting for me.

Knowing I had no choice, I went in and closed the door behind me. My head down, I could see him in the semi-darkness, the white tee-shirt he wore glaringly bright. Neither of us said a word as he studied me and I studied my bare, purple painted toenails. Finally, he broke the silence.

"Well, Laura… there's an old muggle saying that sort of applies to the situation we find ourselves in now."

"What saying?" I whispered.

"'_Actions speak louder than words.'_ I asked you, Laura, if you wanted to come live with Sirius and I. You said you did. You laid in my arms and said you wanted to stay with me. But you left my bed to go to the twins. So tell me, Laura. Are you still going to stay, or do Fred and George owe me some money?"

"Is that what this is about? You're angry because you paid for me and I…"

"Because you climbed out of bed, _my bed_, to go and have sex with my best friend's brothers? Yes, Laura, I do happen to be mildly upset about that!" His voice was a muted roar by the end. I cringed and he took several deep breaths, calming himself. "How long?"

"How long what?"

"_How long have you been Fred and George's lover!"_ I flinched again at the fury in his words, the barely reined violence.

"Only today… Bill asked if I was interested in dating them and one thing lead to another, but—"

"You let both of them… you let them—"

"Only Fred." I whispered. "George had gone off to find some condoms."

"Did you use contraception?" His face was ashen. "If Fred got you pregnant, I kill him!"

"He had a few condoms, Harry… We only made love once."

"Sex. It wasn't making love because Fred doesn't love you and you know it. He used your body for his own pleasure, Laura. If you're old enough to do what you've done, you're old enough to admit that."

"I wish you wouldn't be cruel to me, Harry… I didn't mean it to happen, and I don't want you to be angry. I'm sorry…" My voice was timid, a tell-tale quiver in the words. He sighed.

"I know you are… come here." I climbed into his bed, into his arms. He wasn't angry with me, just disappointed. I could see it in his eyes when he tipped my face up to look into his own. "Laura—"

"Please, please don't send me away, Harry!" I begged.

"Laura, I wouldn't do that. Just listen to me, okay?" I nodded. "I know that girls like to experiment with older boys , but I'd really rather you didn't, not yet/ If you want some one to show you how to make love, ask me. I'd be happy to… If you want to date some one… well, we'll discus that when it comes to it. And if you need to talk about anything, tell me, Sirius, Ron or Hermione. We'll all help you. You've been very sheltered and you're bound to make mistakes now that you're growing up. But you have us to help you clean up those little spills." He promised gently, kissing my head. You're my own special girl, Laura."

"Know what?" I whispered. He shook his head, his fingers threading gently through my short hair. "You're very special to me too…and maybe some day, I'll be able to love you. I don't know anything about love… But I want to learn. I want to love you, Harry."

We lay there for a long while, and soon, I drifted into the sleep I had been denied earlier. I head Harry speak tenderly before his lips touched mine in a sweet parody of a kiss.

"I want to love you too."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The next day, we left for the Quidditch cup. Excitement was tangible in the air as we set off on the hike to that revered event.

The boy and man waiting for us where we were to deport made my skin crawl. Cedric Diggory's appearance was that of a polished pretty boy, but I knew in my very _soul _that it was a façade. My every sense screamed it, the sixth more than any. He turned that perfect smile on me the moment we arrived, taking my hands as Arthur launched into unnecessary introductions.

"Laura. How has your summer been?" That voice! I knew it was smoother than cream, but the evil I could detect within his words made it as grating to me as nails on a chalkboard. I hated him with a passion.

Knowing that snatching my hands from his and screaming at him to get the hell away from me wasn't an option, I smiled politely and slipped from his hold carefully as I spoke. "It was very nice, Cedric. And yours?"

His smile, fraught with malicious pleasure, grew. "Enlightening. How is your family, Laura? Well? Safe? _Alive?_" As horror blossomed at his implication, Harry wrapped an arm around me and stepped closer.

"Diggory." He said by way of greeting, with a curt nod.

"Potter." That terrible smile still lingered. I shivered. He was truly quite terrifying.

"Is there a problem, Diggory? Because I can't say I'll appreciate it if you're upsetting Laura."

"Never! C'mon, we should be leaving…"

The ride through the portkey was not fun. A scream tore itself loose from me when we were flung through space, stuck as if by a cementing charm to a dirty old boot. I landed smashed beneath Cedric and I screamed again. Loudly. He made no move to let me go. Instead, he kissed me, his tongue forcing its way into my mouth. Bile rose in my throat as I struggled blindly. Even his mouth was tainted with evil.

"Let her go!" Fred and George both hit Cedric together in a flying tackle. They pinned him as they had done to me: one holding his hands, the other pinning his torso. "Bastard!" Harry hugged me to his side as Fred began to pound that pretty face.

"Fred! George! Stop that!" they all shifted as Arthur yelled at them and soon, Cedric was landing blows of his own. Ron leapt into the fight as Amos Diggory did the same. The yelling and battling continued. Hermione and Ginny waded into the fray a moment before Arthur ran out of patience, drawing his wand. "Portificus Totalis!"

All of them froze, ramrod straight in a jumbled pile. They looked like a pack of pick-up-sticks, which was a muggle game Harry was fond of. They were released from the spell one at a time, the Diggory's left for last. The Weasley boys shot Cedric mean looks as we headed to our camp ground to set up our tents.

"Fighting before we've ever gotten to the Cup! You've no excuse! At least afterwards you could have claimed adrenaline. You ought to be ashamed, the lot of you!" Arthur railed angrily. The combatants had the good grace to _look_ ashamed. At least, until their father relented with a grin "But you did get in some good shots from what I saw, George." We laughed and chattered all the way through the set up and then headed for the Cup itself.

Our seats were all the way in the top box. I was staring around, using the Omnoculars Harry had bought, when I realized that _he_ was there. I turned slowly, the minute I felt his presence. Draco looked back at me. Lucius and Narcissa stood behind him.

"Laura. How is poverty agreeing with you?" Lucius said, smiling coldly. At the sound of that silken, menacing voice, all my childhood horror surged back full force. I was shaking, terrified, as he spoke briefly to Arthur, and moved to sit behind us. Draco sat directly to my right, one seat back, and leaned in to speak to me. I turned away, but not before I saw the whip slender girl who rushed around to sit in the seat behind him, her head bowed. He had a new maid. I found myself wondering, just for a moment, if I had ever really been that scared, that desperate to please. It took only that moment before I answered my own question. Yes. Irrevocably yes.

"How are you, Laura?" He ventured. I didn't answer. I had no desire to speak to him. In the three years since I had left his house, I had learned that talking with Draco just confused my feelings. It caused me to revert almost completely the person I had been… to a pretty shadow with no substance and no clue. "Don't do this again, Laura. Talk to me. I want you to come home. These people can't take care of you, I know they can't. You need—"

"Don't you dare presume to tell me what I need! My home is with Harry!" I burst out, finally turning to him. I didn't care that several people in the box was watching us now. I was angry. "Leave me alone, Malfoy!"

Gray eyes burning, he reached out to cup his hand around my cheek. "You used to call me Draco."

"_You_ weren't a jerk then."

"_You_ loved me then." He countered. Our gazes caught and held. Seconds, hours, days, a year… no, a million of them, we spent staring at each other. Was it true? Had I loved Draco once? It was me who jerked my eyes away first, and pushed his warm hand from my face.

"I don't know love." I whispered. "I've never known love."

"Laura—"

"Leave her alone, Malfoy! You aren't allowed to beat up on her and take advantage of her submissiveness anymore!" Hermione snarled.

"Shut your mouth, you little mud---" at my stricken gasp, he stopped and looked contrite. "I didn't mean that…"

"You did! Stop it!" I snapped the words at him when he reached out to touch me again. Every one in the box was staring at us now. Lucius eyes shot a promise of violence at us both. To me it meant nothing. He couldn't touch me because I wasn't his to control any more. For Draco, it would mean a beating when he got home. That new maid would be cleaning blood off the floors in the Malfoy mansion that night. Draco's eyes held pure fear for one eternal moment before he dropped his gaze and sat back in his seat. Ludo Bagman stared at us for a moment more before he boomed out the introduction of the Bulgarian mascots.

The game seemed to go on forever and I pretended to enjoy it along with everyone else. Ireland eventually won, despite some impressive moves from the handsome Viktor Krum. The celebration began almost immediately for the Irish supporters and lasted late into the night. I entertained our group by using my own special brand of elvish magic, legal though I was underage, to send glaring green shamrocks shimmering around the camp grounds. Small children ran after them, shrieking with joy. A good time was had by all, and soon I was taking requests. The happiness of others lightened my mood, but did nothing to destroy the prickly sense of foreboding that was tickling my spine as I eventually went to bed.

I woke in the dark to frantic cries outside the tent. I rolled out of bed quickly, and pulled on real clothes before rushing from the tent. Chaos met my stunned gaze outside. Fire, trampled tents, people running and screaming through the night.

"Harry?" I went into the boys' tent, calling desperately. No one was there. My tent had been empty as well. I was completely alone. When I rushed back outside, I saw them. There were people on the air, floating as if held by invisible strings, a line of masked people under them, grotesque skulls leering from where their faces should have been. No, it couldn't be…

"Death Eaters! Run for your lives, they'll kill us all!" At the terrified scream, I began to run in the opposite direction. I had to find Harry, help him, and the others. They couldn't use magic, but I could. I had to protect them—

"Crucio!"

I fell to the ground as horrible, mind-numbing pain shot through my entire body. I tried to scream, but my voice was paralyzed. It felt as if someone was trying to peel off my skin, fry what was under it and break every bone in my body all at once. I prayed for death, soon, please, soon…

The agony stopped as abruptly as it had begun and I curled up on the blessedly cool ground. Was I dead now? Had I somehow slipped from my mortal casing due to the horrible and excruciating torture that had wracked my small frame?

"That hurt, didn't it, Little Laura? Tsk, tsk. It was terribly mean to blindside you that way… Do you know where we are?" A crooning soft voice spoke out of the darkness. A voice I knew. A voice I feared. I didn't answer. "We're deep in the woods, far from everyone. I wanted to make you scream for fighting me earlier. You didn't scream for me, Laura, so let's try it again, shall we?"

"Please, Cedric, no!"

"Crucio!" The pain began anew, and this time, I did scream, screamed from the depths of my very soul. He stopped sooner the second time and I sank to the ground in a fetal position, weeping." Oh yes. That's so much better." He cooed, leaning to touch my face almost gently. "Sweet pain. It's worse for someone as tiny as you, isn't it? Poor thing. I wonder how long it'll take before you go mad, Laura. Neville Longbottom's parents… they went for hours, both of them. I was only three at the time, mind you, but my father and I were there and I remember it like it was yesterday. He bellowed like a bear, trying to get lose of the chains they put him in every single time they hurt her, until she was this empty shell of a person. Then they did him. I've wanted to try it since that day. Do you think we ought to go again? And again? You'd better speak up, Laura. Because if I don't hear you, I'll have to assume you want some more."

"No! NO! Please, Cedric, no more! I'm sorry, I'll do anything!" My screams were frantic as he lowered his wand directly over his belly button. "_Please! Please! Not—"_

"Again? My, my, Laura. I never knew you had such an affinity for pain. Here you are then. Crucio!" My body was arching up off the ground from the currents of agony washing through me. But after several endless moments, a sudden calm gripped me. Yes, it hurt. Oh, Mother of Merlin, did it hurt! But I'd die soon. Surely no one could withstand such things for long… Then the pain stopped.

"Uh-oh. Are you losing it already, Laura? That last one was only four minutes and you're already stopped screaming. Mrs. Longbottom gave us six hours. I'll let you have a few minutes to recoup, then we'll try some more."

I drifted in my own head for an undefined amount of time. _Harry will miss me… I hope he's okay, where ever he is right now… Stupid Ginny, she'll take him when I'm gone…_

A shout from nearby pulled me into my right mind. "Harry?" I muttered, disoriented. Was I dreaming him in my death throes? Cedric laughed.

"Potter's no where near here, my sweet. No one is."

"Diggory. What're you doing?" A voice spoke in the dark and I stirred.

"Draco?"

" I was just having a little fun with your old servant, Malfoy. Care to give it a spin? She has the sweetest of screams, does little Laura." Cedric laughed again. "The Dark Lord will, of course, have first shot at her body when I'm finished with her. I assume you know what's been planned?"

"Of course I know. My father was always loyal, you idiot. And you're finished now. Give her to me."

"Aw… Do you still_ love_ her, Malfoy?" Cedric taunted. "Crucio." I screamed again as pain hit me anew, inside my body this time. I was going to die for sure this time, explode…

"You're killing her! Stop it!" Draco bellowed.

"Not until she breaks!"

"Damn you! Immobulus!" The horror stopped as my torturer froze under the spell. Draco rushed to my side, scooped me up and began to run. "You're bleeding… Jesus, Joseph and Merlin, you're bleeding! Laura, baby, I need you to talk to me now. Your body tried to shut itself down from the inside out to stop the pain. Don't fall asleep on me."

"I think I _need_ to sleep. I'll feel better with a little rest…" My stomach was cramping badly and blood trickled in a steady stream from my nose as my head dropped against his chest.

"No! Stay awake!" There was desperation in the snapped order but my eyes remained open nonetheless. "Come on, baby, just stay with me a little bit longer. We're almost to the Weasleys' tent. Somebody shot up the Dark Mark and all those Death Eaters ran. Please, please, let somebody be here!" As he made that final half-plea, he rushed into the boys tent.

"Laura! Malfoy, you little shit! What've you done to her?" Harry yelled.

"I didn't do this! I'd never do this to her! This is Diggory's work! We have to get her a doctor, a nursing wizard or something. She's been tortured. Her body is trying to die to escape the pain she was going through."

I was floating again. Pain free, worry free. Harry looked so upset, so I smiled.

"Oh, don't be upset again, Harry. It doesn't hurt any more, I promise." Then I frowned. "Are you in pain? Maybe we should get Madam Pomfry…"

"We're not at Hogwarts, Laura." Fred said gently as Draco laid me on the bed nearest the door.

"But Harry is hurt!"

"No, baby, not me… Bill, can't you do something?" There was desperation in Harry's voice too. I found it hilarious, was giggling as Bill loomed over me, a bed sheet wrapped around his wand arm. He gave me a gentle smile.

"How about you tell me what doesn't feel so good right now, Laura?" he said.

"Oh, hello, Bill, darling… My lad with the gorgeous long hair…" I laughed. "My tummy aches a bit and I have a head ache. But I'm okay, really. The cup was fun, wasn't it Do you suppose someone might have saved those flying people? I saw them, y'know. The little girl was spinning 'round and 'round and--- bloody hell!"

Bill's wand touched right over my heart and between my eyes. Flames erupted within me and I screamed. It was almost as bad as being tortured.

"Why are you hurting her?" Harry snarled. "Stop it!"

"_Don't touch her_!" Bill commanded sharply, glaring right back at Harry. "She was fading fast and the damage repair had to be painful to keep her anchored here. Do you want her to die?" Harry shook his head. "Then leave her alone until it's finished." For several minutes, the only sound to be heard in the tent was my gasped, sobbing breaths. Finally, I lay still on that bed, crying and shaking. Harry cuddled me close, his lips to my temple.

"Oh, baby… It's okay now. I've got you. How the hell did this happen?" He snarled the last at Draco, and then began to tenderly wipe the blood from my face with a warm, wet towel.

"I heard someone screaming in the woods, and saw the light from the same spell flashing over and over again after you three passed me. I went to investigate. Diggory was using an Unforgivable Curse on her, but I'll bet anything that we have only mine and Laura's word on it because he won't have used his own wand. He just kept… hurting her. She begged him not to. I'll have nightmares about it until the day that I die. _No, no, please Cedric, no more. I'll do anything. Please, please, please! Not again!_ Then he'd do it again. I didn't know if it was her, and if it wasn't, I certainly wasn't going to ride to some woman's rescue. God, he stood there and made her scream for five full minutes straight. I'm sorry, Laura." He would have touched me then, but Harry hissed, drawing back. I was still crying. Bill spoke again.

"We'll have to go after Diggory, Dad. If the little bastard is running around using illegal curses, he must have lost it and might hurt someone else."

"Yes, Father, I'll go as well."

"Me, three." Charlie said resolutely.

"We're going as well." Fred and George insisted.

"No you're not. You two can't use magic outside of school yet… So stay here and guard the others. Malfoy, you stay here as well. I know your father probably taught you some spells to kill and maim. Use them if anyone off color comes in here, and you have Ministry authorization, all of you. But don't go looking for trouble! Understood?" Arthur ordered. We all nodded.

"Is there anything Laura will need, Bill?" Harry asked.

"No. But try to Keep her awake if you can, until real doctor comes by. She can doze off, but don't let her go all the way out. We'll give whatever doctor we find a note or something to show he's from us."

Bill, Percy, Charlie and Mr. Weasley left us alone in the tent. I couldn't bear the silence for long and eventually, I used magic to make soft music play. Harry continued to cuddle me and soon the sound had everyone but Draco relaxed. He was agitated, and it made me feel the same. He paced the tent stiffly.

"Draco." I finally spoke. He turned, knelt beside the bed that Harry and I lay on.

"Yes, Laura? What do you need?" he asked.

"Nothing. Please calm down. You're upset and I can fell it. Don't worry anymore. You found me. You saved me. I'm safe." I assured him.

"I… I know. But I keep hearing your screams in my head. Pleading. Begging him not to hurt you, and then him doing it anyway just to make you scream. Everybody here was out of these tents except for you, Laura. If the Death Eaters had come this way, you'd be even worse off, because I know that Diggory promised you to the Dark Lord. I… I'm just scared of the thought of you being hurt. I don't' mean to upset you." He explained.

"Ginny was supposed to wake you, Laura." Hermione said. "I ran straight to Ron after she woke up and said she'd—"

In a moment of startling clarity, we all knew. And her brothers all growled her name, threateningly, in complete unison. "Ginevra!"

"She—She didn't get up! I tried!" she protested.

"You left her because I like her better, didn't you, Ginny?" Harry said.

"Harry—"

"_Didn't you?_" He demanded. "She burst into guilty tears. "It was a wasted effort. I could never trust a girl who would leave someone to die over a boy." She fled, crying noisily.

"Of all the nerve!" Ron muttered. "My own sister!"

Soon after, the doctor came. He checked me over, declared me fit and urged me to rest. It was suggested I not sleep alone, so we all ended up bunking together in the boys' tent. Hermione and Ron shared a bed. I slept in Harry's arms. Draco kissed me goodbye and left the tent when the other Weasleys returned Ginny in tow. They opted to take shifts sitting up as guard through the night. I feel into a nightmare, wrapped in Harry's warm embrace. I relived the torture over and over. I woke up before sun rise, screaming from the phantom pain still gripping me. Harry had to pin me in order to keep me in the bed, stopping my flailing arms.

"What can I do?" I heard him implore Bill helplessly through the layers of my waking nightmare. No reply came, but I heard Harry speak again. "Laura… baby, it's okay. I've got you, I'm here, and everything is fine." His voice was loud. He was demanding that I hear him. He rocked me in his arms.

"It hurts!" I gasped. "He's doing it again!"

"No, he's not. He's not hurting you. Diggory's gone now. He can't touch you." He soothed. In some plain of my mind, I was grateful to Harry. Even after the fiasco the day before, he was still treating me gently, still caring for me as if nothing had changed.

"Promise?" the whimpered word made me sound and feel weak, and I hated it.

"I promise you." He stroked my short hair, smiling at me. "Can you go back to sleep now?"

"No. No, we're going to go home now." Arthur was awake. Everyone was. "Your mother is probably in a panic… Everybody pack up. We'll beat the morning rush." The silence rang throughout the camp site as we prepared to leave.

It was noon when we reached the Burrow. Molly started to mother me, but I flinched as she came bustling up to me and she stopped, her lower lip trembling ominously.

"Poor thing…You go on inside." She urged tearfully. The dam burst, and she proceeded to weep all over her brood. "Laura's all over the Prophet, her and those poor muggles. Diggory has an alibi and they've got no evidence to connect him other than her and the Malfoy boy's word. They're saying that she was blinded by pain and that the boy was so distressed by seeing Laura tortured that he applied her identification to what he saw." She said.

Her news hit me like a thunderbolt. He wasn't going to Azkaban for hurting me. He'd gotten away with it. The Weasleys' faces ranged from horror to fury to indignation. A hysterical giggle burst from my lips before I sank to the sun warmed grass in a dead faint.


End file.
